


Reticence and Discourse

by Kurapikababu



Category: One Piece
Genre: Cigarettes, Don't smoke kids it's bad for your health, Gen, Nightmares, Smoking, child lecturing an adult
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-21
Updated: 2016-09-21
Packaged: 2018-08-16 11:51:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8101375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kurapikababu/pseuds/Kurapikababu
Summary: During the time when Corazon's trying to find a doctor for Law, Cora and Law end up on some roof somewhere. Both have things they want to say. Some things get said. Some things don't.But...Not everything needs to be said.A gift for Sam. Based on her OPRB art.





	

**Author's Note:**

> So...for reasons or another, my friend Sam's art for OPReverseBang ended up without a story to accompany it. I, in one of my many " _here's an idea that i shouldn't do because i have other priorities but fuck it i'm going to do it anyway_ " moments, decided to write a story for the art and for her.  
>   
> It's not as long as the requirements for oprb but...it's something.  
>   
> Here's her _gorgeous_ art: [ [X](http://firefisterace.tumblr.com/post/150253649927/here-briefly-to-post-this-this-was-my-art-for) ]  
>  Seriously. Go check it out. It's adorable.

**Reticence**

_ Noun _ _   
_ 1\. the state of being reticent, or reserved, especially with regard to speaking freely; restraint.

**Discourse**

_Noun  
_ 1\. written or spoken communication or debate.

_ Verb  
_ 1\. speak or write authoritatively about a topic.

* * *

 

The first time it happened, he shook it off. 

Obviously he was just overthinking things.

The second time, he paused for a moment, considering it.

Then he shook it off again. He was obviously just imagining things, right?

The third time, he stared and when questioned about his look, he answered “It’s nothing.”

But it wasn’t nothing. After the third time, he was sure of it. They had been traveling around for a while now but they’d done their best to keep their needs met. After all, they were traveling around to different hospitals trying to get help for an illness, so it made no sense to let their hygiene fall to the wayside. 

No, they always made sure that they showered regularly and Cora-san kept his smoking around Law to a minimum, if at all. Law was already extremely sick; why exacerbate the situation?

But Law was starting to wonder. Cora-san was around him pretty much all the time, and he rarely smoked around him. And if they showered regularly, then why was Cora-san starting to smell feintly of smoke?

He wasn’t sure if he was just overthinking things. He wasn’t sure if it was the cities they passed through. Sometimes the inns they stayed at only had smoking-allowed rooms available, so maybe that’s where he was picking the scent up from.

The source didn’t make itself clear for a while so Law let it be, but one night he did get his answers.

He’d been resting peacefully - as peacefully as one could when they were dying anyway - when his dreams started drifting towards images he’d rather not think about, asleep or otherwise. 

The darkness. 

The flames. 

The gunfire. 

The screaming. 

The chaos. 

The blood. 

The smell of smoke. 

He tossed and turned, trying to get out from the dream, no. At that point it had become a nightmare. One that he’d unfortunately had to live through. He didn’t want to go through it again though. He struggled and struggled. 

In the dream, he ran, struggling to escape. Mentally, he struggled to escape the dream. 

He ran and ran, until he couldn’t run anymore. Once he’d come to a stop he looked up and realized where he was - in front of his house. His house that was burning. His house that contained the dead bodies of his parents and his bedridden sister. His house that contained his family that he could do nothing to save.

He bolted upright, jolting out of his nightmare. He sat there for a moment, his clothes clinging to him because of his cold sweat. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the darkness of the room, but when they did, he realized he was the only one occupying the room. He looked around to make sure.

Yep. Cora-san was gone. After a moment of considering that maybe Cora-san had finally given up and just abandoned him, he realized he could still smell smoke. He froze in panic, mind immediately flashing back to his nightmare and the memories he’d been forced to relive. Several moments later, he shook himself from his panic and rose from his bed. He waked over to the open window to check out of it to see if he could see what was burning. 

Nothing. Nothing was on fire, well, nothing he could see anyway. He realized that something was dangling near the window. He leaned forward a little bit and saw that it was a pair of legs. 

A familiar pair of legs. 

Grumbling, he left their room and wandered the inn till he was able to find a way onto the roof. He walked towards the person sitting on the edge, having to step carefully through a pile of scattered cigarette butts as he did so.

Once he was next to the person, he put his hands on his hips and scowled at his temporary guardian. 

“Cora-san. Just what are you doing?”

The tall man almost fell off the building in his surprise. Once he regained his balance, he turned and faced his voluntary charge. 

“L-Law! What are you doing up?! - and up here!?” Cora choked out. Law looked away, not wanting to answer. 

“I couldn’t sleep.” is what he told him.

Cora sighed. He’d guessed as much. “Nightmare again?” He said quietly.

Law turned his head to look at him. His eyes were widened slightly. “What do you..”

Cora took a puff of his cigarette and blew out a small cloud. He turned, looking towards the horizon. He was silent for a moment before he said, “It happens from time to time, while you’re sleeping. You’ll be tossing and turning. The first few times that it happened freaked me out, and I didn’t know what to do.” He chuckled. “Hell, I still don’t know what to do really...” He mumbled, trailing off.

Law just stared at Cora, unsure of what to say or how to react. Law knew he’d been having nightmares, obviously, but he’d kept quiet about them. He didn’t realize Cora knew. He was unsure what to say or how to approach the subject. He’d never really had nightmares before the massacre. He knew Lami had had some on occasion though. He thought to how she’d come to him, tears in her eyes, pleading for comfort. He’d oblige of course, because that’s what big brothers did, right? 

He couldn’t see himself going to Cora, with tears in his eyes pleading for comfort. The image just didn’t seem right to him. Cora’s cough brought him out of his thoughts and his gaze straight to the culprit responsible for Cora’s cough. Law’s expression hardened, going into medical mode immediately. His knowledge was neither as vast nor as extensive as he’d like it to be, but what little he did know was enough for him to be staring at Cora the way he currently was.

“You need to quit.” Law told him firmly, placing his hands on his hips as he spoke. There was no need for him to state just  _ what _ he needed to quit. They were both perfectly aware of what he meant. Cora tried avoiding his gaze and acting like he didn’t know anyway.

“I-I don’t know what you’re-” Cora stumbled over his words, Law’s hard gaze unsettling him.

“Don’t play dumb. You know what I mean.” He pointed at the cigarette in Cora’s hand. “That. The cigarettes, the smoking. You need to quit.” He folded his arms but never relaxed his stare. 

Cora bit back a sigh. He should have expected this would happen eventually, given what little he knew about Law’s background, but still he’d been hoping to avoid it. Him getting lectured about his health and habits by a  _ child _ was not something Cora enjoyed.

“You know what that does to you, to your organs - the lungs especially. Do you even realize all the chemicals that go into those things?” Law started listing some of the ingredients (the ones he could remember). Some Cora recognized but some.. He had no clue what they were, but given the way Law was listing them, they probably weren’t good for him. “Smoking damages your organs, Cora-san. You said that you’re trying to stop Doflamingo so you shouldn’t be doing something that will inhibit your fighting capabilities.” He pointed out.

Cora mentally tsk’ed. The kid had a point there. 

“Are you seriously okay with the amount of toxins that you’re putting into yourself? They’ll kill you eventually. I know that I’m going to die soon and there’s really nothing that can be done about that, but you… You can stop smoking.” Law said, not even flinching at the statement of his impending demise. ‘ _ There’s no reason for you to die. You’re too good. _ ’ He finished, mentally.

Cora, on the other hand, was staring at him. Law couldn’t gauge what his expression was - anger, or shock, might be sympathy, sadness maybe? Lurching towards him, dropping his cigarette in the process, Cora grabbed Law’s arms.

“Don’t say that again!” Cora told him, almost shouting his words. Law jerked in surprise, but due to his small stature and weak body, he was unable to escape Cora’s grasp.

“Cora-san, yeah, it might be difficult to stop smoking but-” Law started.

“THAT’S NOT WHAT I MEANT.” Cora cut him off. Law stared at him completely taken aback by Cora’s outburst. Cora stared at Law in silence for a few minutes. Law realized Cora was shaking slightly.

“Cora..san?” Law said tentatively, not really used to these situations. 

“Don’t.. Ever say that again…” Cora repeated, quieter this time. It took a second but then it clicked into Law’s mind. 

Casually, he said, “Oh, you mean about the fact that i’m going to-”

“LAW.” Cora cut him off again with another outburst. “You will not die Law. That’s why we’re traveling. We  _ will _ find you a hospital that can and will help you.” Cora stated determinedly. Not a single trace of doubt was to be found on his face.

“Cora-san… I’m-”

“-Going to live. You are going to live Law. I swear it. No matter what it takes, I will find a way for you to be cured. I will find a way for you to  _ live _ !” Cora said to him. 

Law sniffled in surprise. He was startled by Cora’s determination to see to it that Law lived. He was shocked by Cora’s care. He’d almost forgotten what it was like to be cared for by someone. Not as a tool with an expiration date, but as a person. He blinked away the accumulating tears that carried the images of the family he lost. 

Cora loosened his grip on Law’s arms and leaned back, expression softening. It was still determined though. Law didn’t move though. He was frozen from his shock. He swallowed - it was difficult; he felt choked up. Slowly, silently, Law moved to sit next to Cora, to stare at the sky. He wanted to say something, anything, but he couldn't find the words. For some reason though, he thought it was okay that he didn't. Cora's comforting presence told Law that he understood without him speaking.

The two remained silent for awhile after that. 

Eventually Cora brought his hands up and lit another cigarette. Ignoring the look he knew Law gave him, Cora continued staring at the sky.

  
“I swear on my life that i’ll find a way for you to be cured and make sure that you live, Law.”

 

 


End file.
